Across the Ages
by Ambrlyn
Summary: The Nether World attacks, Talpa sends his minions down and the Ronin Warriors are there to stop it, only this time, they have the help of three friends with unusual gifts, but will it be enough. . .
1. The Last Kiss

The Last Kiss

It was raining when the soft rapping of the door knocker shattered the serene silence that had befallen the house that morning. Drowsily, Rakeal stumbled to the window to peer outside, curious as too whom this new unexpected visitor might be. She knew that it couldn't be either of her two friends, the two of them were currently in Japan, she would have been with them, but her job wouldn't let her go for the month. "Who is it?" Rakeal called, shocked vaguely at her own voice, sounding so low and agitated. She had been having a rather good dream. 

"Com' on. Please open the door." A male voice called from the other side of the thick oak door.

_That voice sounds familiar..._ She thought as she called back through the door. "Who are you! What're you doing here so damned early! It's five o'clock in the damn morning! Couldn't it wait till at least dawn?" She demanded, no sense being polite if this were some maniac who was going to kill her, right? 

"Please, it's urgent, my plane leaves in an hour." She sighed and opened the door a crack, looking at him in annoyance. 

"What..." She stopped. If it weren't for her military training, she would have gaped in shock at the person standing before her. _No! I can't be him! _She thought in awe, but quickly picked up her last train of thought. "is your problem." She demanded, eyeing him with sudden interest. _What if it's true!? What if the Ronin warriors do really exist?! And Rowen is here at my house!_ She thought as the other started to reply.

"I was sent here. Can I please come in? It's cold and wet out here." He stated as he shook his jacket once to emphasize the rain gathering in droplets on his jacket. 

"First, before I even think of letting you in, who are you? And who sent you here?" Rakeal asked with sudden impatience, she just wanted to go back to sleep. Even if this was Rowan.

"Alright, if it'll get me dry any faster. I was sent by a young woman named Genney. Does that name ring a bell, or do I have the wrong house?" Rowan asked her with a slight tinge of his own.

"No, I know of a Genney, did she tell you a last name?" Rakeal asked, eyeing him with suspicion.

"Yes, her last name is Horton. Are we through with twenty questions now? I'm going to miss my plane, and so are you." With that, he held up a second ticket with her full name on it. It was destined for Japan.

Rakeal closed the door, she took a big breath and unlocked the chain. When she opened the door again, she had the strange impression that no one would be there. Just the porch, and the rain. But there he stood, soaking wet. She felt a flush of admonishment.

"May I come in?" He asked her suddenly, Rakeal jumped to the side and gestured for him to pass. He stepped in and she got her first full look at him. He stood nearly as tall as she, perhaps an inch or so taller, his lock of hair, which she loved, was dripping with water. She felt herself flush a little as she realized that she had the man of her dreams, quite literally, standing inside of her house this instant. 

"Now, why does Gen and Ash want me to come with you? Did they say?" Rakeal asked Rowan with a twinge of suspicion again. 

"Well," Rowan started as he looked at his watch and shifted his weight a little. "All she told me was that she needed you there, that she'd explain it all to you in full. She didn't tell me anything else. I swear, now please, we have fifteen minutes to make it to the airport, please?" Rowan asked her as he looked from her eyes to his suddenly clammy hands. 

Rakeal forced her mind to work in a complete circle, this was all happening way to fast, she didn't know where to start. How was she expected to just up and leave America for Japan, even if Gen and Ash had requested her. She had stayed behind for a reason, otherwise she'd have gone. It was just too hard for her to believe. Just as it was nearly impossible for her to believe that this was Rowan standing in front of her, but she had too, Gen and Ash needed her. "Can I make a few phone calls first? I mean, I need to let people know that I'm going to be leaving for a little while, I don't want to just vanish without a trace, things like that attract a lot of attention. Besides, I have a job, I think it would be nice if I let JC know that I won't be in on Monday." She replied, the words just rushing out of her mouth in a cascading waterfall of words. 

Rowan looked at his watch again and gave her the most pathetic look he could muster. "We don't have that much time! You can call you work and have him give your family a message, but we don't have a whole lot of time. I can show you how to call them from Tokyo if you'd like, but we _really_ need to go!" He urged her as she started to move towards the phone. 

"I'll call my boss, and leave a written note for my mom and step-dad. How about that? Good." She picked up the phone and her address book, quickly she flipped through the pages and stopped, than started to dial the number. 

Rowan almost laughed as he watched the sudden frantic movement of her fingers across the dial board. But stopped paying attention to her as he realized he would be eavesdropping and that just wasn't polite! For the first time, he really started to look around the room. It was really a quaint little house, the rooms were sparsely decorated, and there were faint outlines of drawn pictures on the walls, but the darkness around them kept them out of site. He tried to squint, but to no avail, the darkness won against him. So, he settled for the things illuminated by the light of the lamp Rakeal had switched on earlier. The door he knew the best, so he started there. It was a rather large oak door, its size made him realize that Rakeal had it more for security than for its looks, not that it was an ugly door, mind you, it had great beauty to it. From there, he went to the three different locks that secured the door when shut. She definitely had them for security, because, if they hadn't been decorated as they were, than they would have been an eyesore. 

In the background, he heard Rakeal start talking to her boss. "Hey, sorry to wake you up, but I have a favor to ask of you. . ." He forced himself to stop listening and went back to his looking around. The furniture, there were six articles of furniture in the room and in sight. First was the couch, it sat next to the door, with its back to the wall, facing a large entertainment stand, that held a pathetically small TV in comparison to the box that could hold a 97 inch TV. The sight made him come close to laughing. It reminded him a lot of what his own friend, Kento, had done in his room. Only his TV was a bit smaller than her current one. The thought of his friends being so far away brought a sharp unexpected jab of sorrow. He really hadn't wanted to go to America, but Ash and Gen had seemed so certain that it was absolutely necessary. _Especially_ Ash. He'd learned within the first five minutes of meeting her not to counter an order she made. She could make your life a living hell in less than nana-second! And that was one of the things he hated about her. She had such childish looks that it made you think she was as helpless as one. _That_ would be a very big underestimation of her, and with people like her, that could be disastrous. 

For a moment, he let his thoughts linger over the events that had taken place before stepping into the jeep to go to America, especially the part when they'd ran into Ash and Gen. He really hadn't made a very good impression with Ash, and from that first impression, he really hated her. _I hope when I get back, the Dynasty's taken her. It would do her some good to go where people won't take her shit. She deserves to live in the Dynasty with the rest of the scums._ Rowan caught himself this thinking and instantly regretted it. It wasn't right to say that about someone he'd just met. He should probably give her another chance, after all, she was probably just suffering from jet lag. . .

"_BUT IT'S AN EMERGENCY!! I **HAVE** TO **GO**!!!!. . . . . ._" Rowan snapped his attention instantly back into the present, something was wrong, Rakeal was yelling, no wait. . . "_FINE!!!!! TO HELL WITH YOU AND THIS JOB!!!! I QUIT!!!! THERE!!! I FINALLY SAID IT!!!!. . . . ._" She was screaming! This took Rowan back a little, it wasn't natural, she shouldn't be that angry! "_ASSHOLE!_" And just like that, the phone was slammed down, Rakeal was fuming and staring at the phone like she was gonna to kill it. 

Rowan thought about saying something, but thought different about it as she stormed off towards her room, muttering something under her breath about men, assholes and balls. The muttering nearly made him laugh, but the fear of rousing her temper at him now was stronger. He was paying such determined attention to her that he jumped a bit when the phone rang. Rakeal made a strange sound and sulked back into the front, ignoring Rowan and picked up the phone. 

"Hello?" She nearly demanded as she listened to the person on the other end of the phone, than suddenly slammed down the phone. She started to walk away but the phone rang again, she grabbed the phone and nearly screamed. "WHAT?!!" A moment of silence. Than she suddenly slammed the phone down and jerked the cord so hard that it pulled it clean from the wall. 

Being unable to withstand the eerie silence that had fallen, Rowan said softly. "Feel any better now?" Rakeal jumped and spun to face him. 

"Yes! Actually, I've been wanting to do that since the first week of work!" A wave of relief washed over him as her expression and voice showed him that she had regained her composure and was in a good mood again. 

He smiled at her a little and gestured to the clock on the wall. "Wanna get ready and catch that plane with me? If so, we really need to get going." Rowen reminded her, she looked confused for just the slightest second, her sleep deprived brain letting what he said sink into her head. 

Than her eyes brightened and she spoke up. "Oh yea! I remember, yeah, let me just seal up the house first, alright?" She asked him, he nodded and watched her as she darted around the house, locking everything she came across, as she started to set the burglar alarm, he suddenly noticed what she was wearing, his usually pale face, suddenly flushed with heat, and. . .so didn't something else. She finished and looked at him. "Well, that's all done. . ." she paused, sensing something wrong, than noticed he was blushing, she furrowed her brow and looked at him oddly. "What's wrong?" She asked, he spun suddenly and put his hand up to his face. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. It's just that. . ." He stopped, putting his face in his hand, trying to will his body to not react this way. But the look of her body in what she was dressed still had this attention. He could still see her shapely hips, her defined waist and her well formed breasts. . ._No! Stop thinking about it! STOP IT!!!!_ He demanded his body as he focused on the nearest picture sitting on the dresser.

As he mentally fought with himself, Rakeal noticed what was wrong. She was in her night clothes, which consisted of a long T-shirt and underwear. She blushed and muttered under her breath. "Oh shit!" Than disappeared into her room, shutting the door lightly, she leaned against the wall and caught her breath. "I can't believe Rowen is in my living room! I can't believe that Ash and Gen actually got to meet the Ronins!" Suddenly she jerked away from the wall and started to throw clothes on her bed, looking for her big bag and suitcase as she threw articles of clothes around, she found a good pair of jeans and slipped them on as she frantically collected everything she could, including her laptop, she couldn't go anywhere without it. 

Rowen looked at the picture and smiled. It was one of Ash and Gen. Ash was making a face at the camera and Gen was laughing at Ash, while putting bunny ears on her. He chuckled at the picture and picked up the next one, it was only of Ash and an other man, her long white hair looked radiant in the flowers and ornaments, she had her hair in the tradition Japanese wedding knot. Her dress was absolutely perfect, a mix of white, silver and pale blues, with contrast of black and gold trim. Looking harder, he noted that the dress was made like a kimono. Her hand revealed the beautiful ring on her finger. A wedding band. He turned his attention next to the man next to her, he was obviously Japanese and much older than her, possibly by ten to eleven years. He was handsome, his smile looked like that was what had won her over, his arm draped around her waist, she was holding the wedding flowers close to her. She looked very happy. _Funny, I don't recall Ash saying she was married, she surly wouldn't have left him here in America, or have been this calm if he were somewhere in Japan. I wonder what's up?_ He asked, mentally reminding himself to ask Rakeal when they were driving down to the airport in Wichita. 

He moved to another picture and saw Ash being dunked by Gen, he laughed at it and moved on to the next. Each one depicted something of happiness and joy, but in none of them was Rakeal. He cast it aside and looked in on Rakeal. "About ready?" He was saying when she suddenly came out with a huge bag and a small suitcase. 

"Yep! Let's ride, m'boy!" She said cheerfully as she leap up and started for the door, with a Rowen in tow.

  
  


The drive to the airport was filled with silence and Rakeal starting to drift back to sleep, but that all ended when they drove up to the airport and started to unload. "Well, we're here, now it's just a smooth plane ride from here all the way to Japan." Rowen said with a sigh of relief. Not that he didn't like America, but he just liked his own lands and familiarity. He was very uncomfortable with this strange land of 'opportunity'. 

Rakeal froze in mid-stride. Her bag still in the back of the jeep. "I can't." She muttered, watching a plane take off in the still rainy and stormy night. 

"What's wrong?" Rowen asked her, his eyes mirroring both agitation and concern. 

Rakeal shook her head some more and looked at Rowen with fogged eyes of worry. "I hate planes, I can't do this! What if we crash?!" She demanded, jumping slightly as a particularly loud thunder shook the ground. 

Rowen took a deep breath, he really didn't have time for this now, their plane was due to leave in ten minutes. "It won't crash, trust me, k?" He asked her with a hopeful smile, his eyes struggling to remain calm. 

Rakeal looked at him suspiciously, than nodded. "Fine. I suppose I'll just have to do that. If Gen and Ash really need me, than I'll just have to go, won't I?" Rowen remained silent. There was nothing for him to say. 

They walked out through the airline gates and onto the plane with the average conversations, about the sites she would see in Japan, if the other Ronins were the same as he and just how much of Ash they already knew. She gave him tips on how to humor her and Gen, but as they sat down, and the rain became harder, fear bolted her down to silence. "The runway's too slick, we're going to crash! There's too much lightning, it's going to destroy our engines!" She started to say, causing a few others around her to get nervous and look out the window. 

Rowen, who was starting to lose his temper at this woman, simply turned to her in his seat and looked at her straight in the face. "There is nothing going to happen, you don't need to be afraid." With that implication, Rakeal gave him an indignant lift of her chin. 

"Who said I was afraid?! I'm not afraid of the plane lifting off! I'm just worried about crashing." She remarked flatly. Her eyes glaring at him for the insult he'd just dealt her. 

Rowen, sensing the opportunity to get her past take off, egged the fight on deeper. "Yes you are! You're terrified of this storm! You were cowering like a kitten in the jeep!" Rowen shot back, his eyes flaring with fight. 

"Was not!!!"

"Was too!" 

"I was not! Rowen!!!" Rakeal argued as the plane started down the runway, she didn't really notice, and Rowen intended it to stay that way!

"You were too! HA! Admit it! You're scared of thunderstorms!" 

"I am NOT!!! I LOVE thunderstorms!!! I have a whole COLLECTION of CDs with THUNDER and RAIN on them!!! So you SEE!!! I am NOT afraid of STORMS!!!!!!" She yelled at him, emphasizing the key words, making sure that he didn't miss them. 

Rowen snickered, but stopped as the plane was at max altitude. "Congratulations, you made it up in the air. It wasn't that bad now was it?" He asked her, she stopped and looked around. No one was dead, and the plane was flying smoothly, nothing was going wrong.

The pit in her stomach eased a little. She looked at Rowen and than snorted. "You planned that argument, didn't you?!!! You little SHIT!" Rakeal's voice didn't really tell him she was pissed, but that she was more astonished than anything. 

Rowen laughed and they relaxed for a little while. . .enjoying the sounds of the thunder as it rumbled past them.

  
  


Meanwhile, back in Japan, the other Ronins had their hands _full_. "Ryo, don't you ever start to say that this is _your _fault, it's my _own_ fault for tripping. You were _clear_ over there, how could you catch me?!" Gen demanded as she stared at the apologetic Ronin before her. 

Ash listened to it all from her melancholy. She had been growing more and more distant the longer she stayed there. Her eyes glanced upwards, the sky was clouded over with the Dynasty's fowl shield. "Not long now..." She muttered, her eyes looking upwards once again. "I will be home. . ." She said without thought. Cye looked at her questioningly. 

"What do you mean by that?" He asked her suddenly, bringing her out of her thoughts. 

"What?" Ash asked suddenly, her eyebrows coming together in a graceful arch, her pale eyes depth less.

"I asked what you meant by 'Not long now. . .I will be home. . .'?" He asked her again, she looked at him blankly and than looked away suddenly. 

"I did say that, didn't I?" She asked, her eyes focused on something unseen. 

"Yes, you did. What did it mean?" Cye asked her gently, coaxing it out of her. 

"It's just something I say every now and again, no real reason. It just comes out." She said humbly. 

Kento watched her from next to Sage. He was actually starting to miss her bad attitude and spunk, but over the past few days, it had disappeared. The old Ash was slowly forming into a melancholy child of solitude. Ever since they'd rescued her from the clutches of a warlord, she'd been very melancholy. He leaned over to Sage and muttered softly. "Ya know what? I think she's a part of 'em." 

Sage looked at him with a look of confused annoyance. "What?"

"Well, think about it! She seems to know exactly when and where they'll strike or be at! And ever since we got her away from that warlord, she's been depressed. It's like we ruined her plans or somethin." Kento insisted. 

"Do you know what kind of charge that is? You're accusing her of being a traitor and we have only known her for little more than a few weeks. It's really not fair to just start accusing her of things like that. If you can find proof, than bring it up, other than that, let it go." Sage told Kento as he got up and walked away from him, no longer willing to carry the conversation. 

"She is, and you'll see. Hopefully before she hands us all over to that Dynasty jerk!" Kento vented softly under his breath as he glared over at Ash, who was looking back out at the ocean again. 

Sage walked up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. 

Ash jumped and looked over at Sage, her eyes wide and unfocused. Than she seemed to recognize him and calm down a little. "Oh, hello." She said, before looking back out to the ocean. 

"Hey, Sage." Cye said, from beside her, looking out at the ocean with her. "What's happening?" 

Sage shrugged a looked at Ash with a pained expression. "What's wrong, Ash? You've been so distant recently. Please tell us, we're here to help and listen." Sage told her, Cye popped his head up and looked at Ash. 

She gave him a glance and looked at Cye in return. "I appreciate your kindness, but you just won't understand what's wrong." She smiled at them both kindly, than got to her feet gracefully and walked away from them all. Gen watched her go and sighed, Ryo watched also and shook his head. 

Sage watched her go and looked over at Cye. "Did she tell you anything? Or did you hear anything that might help us figure her out?" He asked his fellow Ronin. 

Cye was shaking his head and was about to speak, but Gen interrupted him with Ryo at her side. "You'll never figure her out. She's just full of surprises. First of all, she's always been alone, she's not used to being part of a group this large. The most she's ever had is myself and Rakeal." She sighed and looked over at her distant friend. "Her depression is mostly because of her differences between normal society and herself. She's just lonely, let her get used to you all, than she'll open up a little. You just have to give her time." Sage gave a great sigh and shook his head. 

"If you say so, but Kento has brought up some good points. She's been worse since we rescued her from that warlord, Anubis. After that, she's been so distant, like we ruined her plans." Sage said as he looked at the others, Kento perked up and walked over to the group, after hearing his idea thrown in. 

"But that doesn't make any sense, she was not trying to get caught, we all watched her fight her best to avoid getting caught. Now, she does say that one phrase lots of times when she's extremely distant, but Gen said it herself, that she said it far before she came here to Japan. We all know that this has nothing to do with the dynasty. It isn't fair to judge her off of what she's just shown us. I think we should give her a little time to open up with us." Cye said as he looked around at his friends, Kento made a face and was about to say something when Ryo suddenly cut him off. 

"Wait, Gen, how long have you known her?" Ryo's question took her by surprise, she stopped and blinked in confusion. 

"Well. . .I suppose for nearly fourteen years, why?" She asked, stealing a glance back at Ash. She was back at the cliff side and watching the ocean with the same distant look. 

"How long did it take you to get her to open up?" Ryo asked, glancing up at the sky.

"Well, probably a good two years to get into her real reasons for doing things. But only a year to understand her emotions and why she's so off to everyone else." Gen seemed to stop herself before she could say more.

Kento perked up at her sudden stop and smiled. "Oh? Why does she always turn herself 'off' around other people? Huh?" Ryo glared at him and Cye hit him hard. 

"Hey! Don't press!" Cye yelled at him angrily as he glared at his friend. 

Gen shook her head. "I really shouldn't tell you all, it's quite personal, and it isn't my place to say." She said, but Sage nodded agreement with Kento. 

"I hate to agree with Kento, but he does have a good point. How do we really know that she isn't in league with the Dynasty?" Sage spoke up, Kento glared at Cye and stuck his head up proudly. 

Gen looked at Ryo and than pleadingly at Ash. She sighed and began. "Let me just tell you a little bit, than I'll ask you to judge her this way. She has been abused by nearly everyone she's encountered. From her childhood, when she was little, her looks her so different that she was beaten up and thrown around until she was nearly out of Middle School. But from until we left the US, she was hurt beyond your imagining! She's been raped, beaten nearly to death and actually tortured by her family. So, please, leave her alone for now, ok? She's had an incredibly rough life, leave her out of the dynasty!" Gen told them with a stern yet cracking voice. 

Ash looked out at the ocean, her thoughts were dark and morbid. _Why do I always feel such loss? I don't understand them at all. I _definitely _don't want to go to the Dynasty, but there seems to be something about it up there that makes my heart long for home. Could it be that somehow my answers are there?_ She thought but shook her head and made a small sound of displeasure, the wind caught her hair momentarily, causing her to perk up instantly. "Anubis." She whispered, murmuring his name with a long exhale of breath. She could feel him, after he'd tried to abduct her, she could never forget his feel. 

She shuddered and looked over at billowing fog just a few feet off the coast. She came slowly to her feet, her hands flexing slightly at her sides. "Their coming." She said out loud, but there was no one near enough to heed her warning. She took a step backwards as the greenish mist started to creep up towards her. She looked back at Gen and the other Ronins. "Gen. . ." She called uncertainly, than took another step backwards as the mist gathered around her feet. She jumped back, as if it burned her and looked forward; a figure was walking alone with the mist, she recognized the shape, the way he walked, the way he held his weapon. 

"Hello again, little one." Anubis' voice echoed throughout the air around Ash. She took a giant step backwards and looked back at the Ronins. They were engulfed in conversation just too far to be in ear shot. She closed her eyes and grimaced at the unavoidable fight that was coming swiftly to her. "This time, your little friends aren't here to save you, are they?" His words taunted her, she looked back at him and straightened up.

She wasn't going to let him have her that easily. "They are here, you can't take me fast enough before they'll be all over you!" She said back softly, her eyes shining brightly with both defiance and fear. 

"_Ha_!" Anubis laughed and than shook his head at the little child in front of him. "I'm afraid that isn't in my plans today." He said as he stepped forward a little more, Ash didn't back away. _Excellent, she's trying to stand her ground. Just a little closer and I'll have her._ He thought has he laughed out loud again and looked over at the gathered Ronins. "Well, my little one. I don't think that they'll be helping you today, they don't even realize that I'm here, so how can they rescue you now?" 

She raised her chin in defiance and huffed. "All I have to do is scream and they'll be on top of you before you can even say a word!" She said angrily, her voice was starting to hold a tone that made Anubis' heart ache for having been ordered to hurt her. 

Anubis took another larger step forward, but still, Ash didn't give any ground. She looked up at him in contempt. "I don't think so." He said, with a solid motion he lifted his weapon high and brought it down hard upon the back of her neck. She made a soft grunt of pain before she slumped down towards the ground. He reached out to catch her and noticed in that moment that the Ronin Kento was looking. He held her close to him and smiled wickedly at the Ronin. "Let's go home, little one." He said down to her as he quickly began to return to the Dark Realm.

Kento watched Ash in Anubis' arms and hurriedly got the attention of the others. "Look! See! I told you she was a part of them!!! I _knew_ it! Is that enough evidence for you ?!" He demanded, his accusing eyes watching the warlord and Ash departing. 

Ryo hurried past Kento and Sage with Gen and tried his hardest to catch them before they completely departed. "No!!! Let her go you monster!" Ryo screamed as he called his sub-armor on quickly. 

Gen raced along behind him and past him quickly, leaping towards the warlord. "Let her go!! She didn't do anything to you or your master!" She screeched as she landed close to them and noticed that Ash was unconscious and slightly bleeding from the back of her head. "What did you do???!" She demanded, kicking and hitting at him, but Anubis just pushed her away with the blunt end of his scythe. Ryo tried to attack as well, but his attempts were equally blocked. 

"She belongs to the Dynasty now, Ronin whelps!" Anubis sneered as he stepped back into the fog and began to disappear, he laughed and left them with a frightening thought. "Come and get her, if you dare, but I doubt you'll ever find her!" His wicked laughed caused Gen to fall to the ground and scream at the top of her lungs. 

"_NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!_ _ASH!!!!_ Please. . . no. . ." She sobbed, Ryo walked over to her and held her gently. She cried and held onto him tightly. "Please!! We have to go get her! She'll be so lost! So confused, I have to help her!" Gen bawled against his chest as he held her tightly. 

Sage approached them cautiously in full armor and frowned towards where Anubis and Ash disappeared. "Hey, she alright?" He asked Ryo, who looked up and shook his head. "I figured. I'd be shattered if my friend was taken from me as well. I'm sure Ash is feeling pretty out of place right now." He looked over as Kento and Cye can running up too, also armored up. 

"See!!! I told you she was one of them!!! I knew it. . ." Kento was proclaiming as Gen suddenly leap up and attacked him, she began hitting him and kicking him until she had him on the ground. Even though his armor, Kento could feel the hits, knowing that there would be bruises.

"You _asshole_!!!!! How _dare_ you say that!! She hasn't done _anything_ to make such a harsh judgment from you!!! She left the USA to avoid such accusations!" She screamed, tears running down her face. Cye hurried to pull her away and looked at Ryo. 

"Shush!" Ryo said quickly, gathering her back up in his arms. "It's alright!" He tried to comfort her as she cried hard against him. He looked angrily over at Kento. 

"What?" He asked, still babying his hurts from her attack. 

  
  


Ash moaned in agony. Her head felt as though it were going to explode. "Careful. Don't get up." A soft voice commanded her as she tried to open her eyes. Bright lights flashed just behind her vision, keeping her from seeing clearly. 

"Wha. . ." She tried to say, but even working her jaw caused her head to throb more. 

"Don't speak." The stranger spoke again. She felt that she should recognize his voice, but nothing came through the pain. "Rest now." He told her, moved her head to the side and was overwhelmed by dizziness, she moaned again and a felt a coldness against her forehead. "Don't move." The voice commanded her once more, this time she obeyed. 

The darkness was all around her, she couldn't tell if it was night or day, or even if all of this was merely in her mind. She moaned occasionally, and felt the instant presence of a cold cloth against her forehead, and the reassurance that everything was fine. Once, she lifted her hand to touch the familiar stranger, but all she ever reached was another hand helping hers back down. "Shush. . .don't worry, you're safe here." He would calm her and brush her hair with his fingers until she was back to sleep. He smiled as he looked down at her, she always looked so peaceful in sleep, but every time she awoke, he found her heartbreaking with all her agony. He took a deep breath and stood carefully, he stretched silently and walked the short distance to a table where a pitcher of cool water waited for him. He poured himself a glass and drank deeply, than retrieved a smaller glass for her and filled it. She needed to drink or she would become dehydrated. Her brow was furrowed when he came back, he frowned and touched her forehead. 

She opened her eyes warily and looked at him strangely. Her icy eyes were unfocused and glazed with pain as they locked with his. "Where. . .am I?" She asked, her speech was slurred and unsure. 

"You're safe, dear one. Don't worry." He said, reaching out to touch her hair.

She moved her head away a little and reached up to meet his hand. "Where." He sat up a little more at her statement. She was more alert this time, he'd have to be careful if he wanted to keep her from his master now. He would surely sense her alertness soon. 

"Safe. Don't worry, no harm will fall on you here." His voice held caution in it, his eyes shone dimly in the weak light. 

She sat up slowly, testing to see if her head would suddenly hurt to much, there was a little pain but not enough to keep her down. "I'll be the judge of that. Where. Am. I." 

His expression darkened, and he pulled back into the shadows, completely disappearing in the darkness. Ash closed her eyes and tilted her head in his direction. "You're in the Dynasty, little one. As I said, you're safe." Her expression darkened immensely and she opened her eyes to look straight at him. He started in alarm, her eyes gleamed an eerie silver in the weak light. 

"Being in the Dynasty hardly seems like a safe place to be to me." She muttered as she searched the room around her, her eyes releasing his. 

He gave a sigh of relief and than huffed indignantly. "Would you prefer that I gave you up to Master Talpa now? Let him decide what fate should suit you best? Which of us he will give you too?" There was a bitter anger in his voice, she noted it for later. Instead of answering, she just continued her exploring the room with her eyes. "Good. Than trust me when I tell you that you're safe here. No one would dare enter to harm you, and I will not so long as you don't tempt me." He told her firmly, she looked back at him and locked eyes once more. 

"Oh, is that so? Well, I'll just have to remember that. But, if you insist that this is where safety is, than I will have to take your word for it." She tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "How long have I been sleeping?" Her captor smiled at the question.

"Well, I'd say you've been drifting in and out of consciousness for a good part of the week, little one." He told her, she raised her eyebrows at this, but little else of her expression changed. She was really starting to intrigue him. He rather expected her to act like a little lost girl, scared and afraid of all around her. In fact, he was rather hoping on that one, since he was counting on her relying on him to be her support. Now that she seemed to have her own form of coping with this new stress, he would have to re-calculate his prior plans. 

"Well, I suppose if I've been out for that long than I know for a fact that this is a safe place." She said with admiration, than her expression hardened and she changed entirely. "What are your intentions with me. Be truthful, or I will sense it." The look in her eyes was so intense that he felt himself swallow hard.

"It is not _my_ intentions you need to worry about. It's Master Talpa's, dear one." He said gently, yet the implications were very think in the meaning. _If she is as smart as she looks, than she'll pick it up._ He thought as he observed her. 

She looked at him thoughtfully and than smiled, it seemed to warm her face, but did not touch her icy eyes. "Yes, I suppose you're right on that part. I'll let it rest for now, but soon, you will answer that question for me. And when it comes to be, you will not _lie_ to me." He nodded and smiled his own smile, unsure if she could really see him. She sighed and looked away, squeezing her eyes shut to hold back the tears. She was lost, stolen away to a place where her friends, especially Gen, could not reach her. She'd been with Gen for nearly ten years now, and though there had been grim and rocky times, she didn't know what to do without her. 

He watched her suspiciously, than decided it would be best to try and comfort her. He touched her shoulder lightly, but she yelped as though he'd burned her and pulled quickly away. "What's wrong?" He asked, but she was already speaking. 

"Don't you _ever_ touch me again!" She yelled breathlessly, her eyes were wide and swirling with emotions that seemed misplaced. He blinked in confusion and frowned. She shivered and grabbed her upper arms tightly, squeezing in closer to herself. _He's. . .he's a murderer!_ She thought, shaken by the things she had seen when he touched her. He moved his hand closer to her, but she pulled away. "Touch me and you'll lose that arm!" She practically growled. He took her word for it and watched her in the shadows. _How could someone do all those horrible things and live with it?! _She was thinking as her captor stood suddenly and spoke softly. 

"I must go for a short while, I will return. Stay here and don't try to escape. You'll regret leaving this room if you do. And it will not be by _my_ hand that you will suffer." He told her, she nodded and watched him go. _She seemed so. . .shocked when I touched her. I must inform Master Talpa of this at once._ He thought as he stepped outside of his chambers and teleported to the throne room. 

Ash looked around curiously, she stood up from the place she'd been lying and began to wander around. The thing that intrigued her the most was the fact that it was so dark in his rooms that she wanted to know perhaps if it were night. _If this place even has a night, or a day, or even seasons._ She thought darkly as she carefully navigated through the darkness. 

After only a few minutes of searching, she found something that shocked her. The dim light in the chambers was nothing more than a floating orb of dim light, it seemed to just float there, in certain strategic places of the rooms, as too give off the right kind of light. A smile came to her face. She now knew who her captor was. "So, that was Cale. . .the warlord of darkness. . ." She thought aloud distantly, her eyes searching the dim blackness for a sparse piece of foreign light. But after a while, she simply gave up. 

_:Were you looking for something?: _A voice cooed in her mind, she jumped violently, and shuddered as she began to pick up images from the mental contact. _:So, you're a strong little one, aren't you? Well, I suppose I didn't realize you full potential as well as I should have.:_ The voice sounded so familiar, she gritted her teeth and gave a quick touch to his mind. 

_A flash of an image shone through, a huge steed carrying a heavily armored man, a village in ruin, one man standing against the terrible odds to save his people. . _.She shook her head. She didn't want to see any more. She closed her eyes and concentrated on speaking back. _:You will stay out of my mind.:_ With that, she sent out a huge empathic wave of anger, shoving him out of her mind, than focused on placing a barrier to keep him out. She know knew how large her dilemma really was. She was trapped inside the Dynasty, in the warlord of darkness' chambers, and had caught the attention of the dark master himself, Talpa. 

She sunk to the ground and put her head in her hands. "Why do I always have to get into these kind of messes?" She moaned as she let herself break down and begin to cry. Her tears were more out of frustration than fear, but they streamed down her face none the less.

"_SHE DEFIES ME!!!!_" Talpa roared as he tried to regain access into her mind, but couldn't. Cale closed his eyes and braced for his master's wrath, but it did not come. "How can she defy _me?_ She has no ground to stand on, and no one to give her courage, _how_ can she _keep_ _DEFYING_ me?!" He roared again as he looked through his viewer to the Ronins down below. _Perhaps I should have captured the other one, she seems to be less sure of herself than this one here. But. . .she was so submissive and offish to everyone, she seemed to be the type to be gullible. How does she manage to remain strong? Where does she get her strength?!_ He thought silently to himself as he spoke to Cale. "Tell me everything you know about this little girl."

Cale looked at his master in confusion. "As you wish. . ." With that, he began to explain everything he had learned about his little charge. 

* * * * * * *

Gen stared up at the huge castle in the clouds, deep in thought. She simply couldn't believe that they'd taken Ash. _Why would they want to do such a thing? What could she possibly give them that none of us could? What could they possibly gain with her?_ She asked herself, but the answer seemed to continue to elude her. 

"What indeed." Ryo murmured from beside her.

Gen jumped and than blinked at him. "What did you say?" Ryo repeated it a little louder this time. She looked back up at the sky and gave a small smile. "You must have been reading my thoughts." She replied. 

Ryo laughed a little, but shook his head. "No, you were talking out loud. I simply heard you asking the wind your questions." 

She flushed. "Sorry, I hadn't realized I'd said that out loud. Perhaps next time I'll try to be a little quieter." She said, her face still blushing as she looked away from the sky to steal a glance at the others. 

"Rowen will be back soon, perhaps we'd better get going over to the airport, I won't want to be late when they're flight comes in." Ryo said softly as he touched Gen's arm gently. 

She smiled at him weakly and let him help her up. 


	2. The Vision

Chapter 2: The Vision

  
  


The plane pulled around for a second pass of the airport, the snow was so thick and the runway covered with a thin layer of ice and snow. Below, people hurriedly went over the asphalt with ice melt and blowers, trying desperately to make way for the awaiting arrivals. 

Rakeal looked down nervously, Rowen had just managed to get her to calm down when she suddenly started to panic again. "Oh _man!!!_ Look at all that snow!!! Come on! Give me a _BREAK_!!!!" She started to say as Rowen hurriedly closed her window again. 

"Relax, I fly all of the time, there hasn't been a crash for the past five years. . ." He was trying to comfort her when she suddenly interrupted. 

"NO!!!! Do you know what that really means?!!! It's not been five years of no wrecks! It's been five years of silence until the next _CATASTROPHE!!! _That means that it's about time for the next wreck to happen!!!" She paused, but not long enough to let him speak. "We're gonna crash! I just know it!!!!" She muttered, but not softly enough to be unheard of by the surrounding passengers. Rowen gave them all a reassuring smile, than tried to sink lower into his seat. She was silent for a while longer, than suddenly spoke up again, shaking her head dramatically as the plane hit a pocket of turbulence. "No, this is it!! We're gonna crash! We're gonna die." She said in a matter of fact voice. 

Behind them, a small child started to cry, Rowen hit his forehead in frustration as the little boy said, in Japanese, that he didn't want to die. He leaned over and reassured the boy with his mother. Than leaned back to glare at Rakeal. "You know, we're not going to die. You're just overreacting. You need to relax." Rowen stated as he finally just sank back down into the seat and tried to ignore her small nearly audible proclamations that the plane would crash.

For nearly an hour, it continued. Until suddenly the plane began to descend. Rakeal was so busy concentrating on how the plane would crash, how it would feel and if it would hurt before she died. So, when the plane dropped for landing, she let out a scream that must have come from the depths of hell! Everyone around her jumped, Rowen looked like he was about to kill her. Two stewardess came running with a small case. One pulled it out and the other spoke to her reassuringly as she was quickly given a shot and calmed down.

  
  


* * * * * * * *

Ash sat alone in the large room, it was her room. Or well, sort of, it was the room that Cale gave her when she was in his care. He was at the Gathering, and he'd return in about three hours. She smiled a little to herself as she remembered what Anubis had told her about Cale. _'He's a very odd sort.' _Anubis had told her. _'He goes to the Gatherings, just like the rest of us, and than wanders around to his whore house. He has a rather large harem, he and I are of the same race, but trust me, we're completely different, he lets his need for lust rule his judgement and his vision. The Gathering lasts nearly an hour, but he spends the next two with a woman.'_ She laughed a little more at the thought of Anubis' words. She really liked Anubis, and was really depressed when she was taken away from him. 

She sighed. There was nothing for her to do. She got up and left the room. Cale seldom locked her in the room, but he did lock her in his chambers, he didn't trust her _that_ much, at least not yet. As she walked around, she held her hands out in front of her a little, his chambers were not the brightest. In fact, they were rather dim, almost having the look of being moonlit. She liked it, but it was also very difficult to see hidden objects that she _couldn't_ see. 

Her fingers grazed the massive bed, she gave a shudder and quickly moved away from the offending object. A faint stream of light was shimmering from under the door that led to his sitting room, she arched her eyebrow and shrugged. _Why not? It's not like I have anything else to do, might as well investigate it. He didn't forbid me to enter the room, and it'd be nice to see something else, something new . . . _She was thinking as she gently pushed the door open, it opened soundlessly and she smiled. _Of course, he's very neat, why would it squeak?_ She asked herself as she slid into the wide doorway. 

The sight was something she didn't really expect to find in his room. It was a large, rather nicely lit room, elegant tapestries hung on the walls, there was really beautiful sculptures from various times and lands. There were many paintings around the room, and in the corner, near the window, there was a huge easel, she walked over and looked at it and . . . her mouth dropped in shock, the canvas was _huge_, but what caught her eyes the most was what he was painting. It was a huge dragon, fanning her wings out to the other dragon coming to land, which both were wonderfully detailed, that wasn't it though. The picture he was painting was a larger copy of her sketch she's had in her bag. She'd drawn it when she was trapped with him in his bed chamber, he'd not forced her to do anything, but had allowed her to sit at the desk with a few candles and draw. 

He'd joined her at the desk about thirty minutes after he'd allowed her to go. He was instantly awed as he watched her hands move across the paper, the little pencil and her delicate hands caused a very beautiful picture to erupt across the paper. He'd sat silent for nearly three hours watching her draw, when her pencil when dull, he'd hand her the other one from her bag and quickly sharpen the dull one with a small dagger from his robes (he was always armed). She had glanced at him ever now and again, and noted the small smile of contentment and pleasure as he watched her diligently draw. That had been her only escape from the hells she sometimes had to endure. 

But what shocked her beyond amazement was that he was painting _her_ drawing! He had told her that he only spent his time on things that would mean something in the future. Things that should be immortalized. It almost touched her. She'd managed to reach his heart, in some strange way. _I'll have to confront him gently with this, maybe he'll open up with me and be a little kinder if I let him know that I'm not angry with him._ She thought as she moved away from the painting and over the window. 

A fair amount of light was beaming from the huge window. She walked over to it and looked out. The sight was beautiful, and . . . she noted with growing distress, viewed the gardens which she pleasured in walking when she was allowed. Cale could see where she spent long hours, and he had the view of her favorite place. She looked away from the window and gazed around the room some more. There was a painting covered by a cloth, she was about to reach for it when a warm breeze coaxed her from the painting, she walked back over to the window. 

The air was so warm and felt so good that she had no choice but to sit down and wish for the freedom she no longer was given. Her eyes closed to the welcoming breeze, and as she listened to the soft murmuring of the water and birds, she began to hum, it was a soft melody that just sprang up, but soon it began to take on words, a soft muttering, than a gentle voice:

_Beyond the clouds, lies the sky,_

_Beneath the smile, there lies a frown,_

_Just behind the tears, await the laughter._

_Life is full of pain,_

_Life is full of joy,_

_It stands there, _

_Waiting for us to take it into our arms, _

_Waiting for us to embrace it. _

The words came so easily, and soon became nothing more than muttering again, the melody subtly changing into a sadder tone, caused by her heart break at the sight of the others walking around in the court yards below. She was about to start putting words to the melody when a hand gently touched her shoulder. 

"I'm sorry," Cale's voice muttered softly, his eyes were full of a strange mix of awe and sadness. "Master Talpa wishes to speak with you. Please, do your best to not anger him. His temper toward you is increasingly short. If he orders me to do something, I must carry it out." He warned her softly, she looked up at him and smiled faintly, her heart dropping even more. 

_Thus, my hell returns once more to reveal all of my errors. If there truly is purgatory, than I have surly found it._ She thought as Cale wrapped his hands around her waist and teleported them to the Throne room, where Talpa awaited her.

"Master. I have brought the little mortal." He replied softly, kneeling down on one knee, mentally wishing that Ash would do the same. 

"Very good. You have done well. Child, why have you not yet accepted your lot here. Your friends will never rescue you, and they have not tried. You were an unwanted member of their group, now that you are no longer there, they don't want to try and to rescue you. Trust me. They would have by now." Talpa told her in a very smug tone. He wanted her to deny the statement. He wanted to knock her into submission. He longed to break down her will. He wanted its strength for his own. _She feels so powerful, yet she is so vulnerable, I wonder if she too possesses an armor. I know that it is not mine, I am fully aware as to the resting of all nine of my armors, but this, I do not know about. Perhaps she is not what she seems . . . _He was thinking as Ash's head came up in a defiant lift of indignation. 

"I know my friends will come to rescue me, and I wish them all the luck they can get. But, I'm afraid I do not require rescuing. I can bring down the Dynasty from the inside, thank you very much." Cale's face went pale beneath his armored mask, he knew well what was coming. 

_I suddenly pity you, child._ Cale thought as Talpa suddenly roared. "You _insolent_ little _bitch_! You _dare_ to continue to defy me!!! You will pay for that, little mortal!" Talpa raged as he unleashed a painfully powerful energy blast at her. 

It wrapped around her instantly, she tried for a moment to bite back the pain, but it grew the longer she remained silent. For her, it was only a moment of resistence, than she screamed. For Cale and Talpa, her resistance lasted nearly two hours. They were shocked as to the spirit and strength of this little child, but before either of them could force her to submit, she suddenly spread her arms wide and the energy blast shattered as if it were nothing more than thin ice. 

"Don't ever do that again." Her voice was so soft and quiet that Cale used all his willpower to suppress the shudder she was bringing on. 

Talpa remained silent for a moment, observing her as she stood, half-crouched, ready to pounce. Than a slow laugh began to rumble through the Throne room. "So, you're psychic, I should have seen that long ago." Cale let out a silent sigh of relief, his master had not seen that show as opposing his will, but a display of power. "But, I have no use for one such as you, I have plenty of psychics in my palace as it is." He paused, reaching out with his mind, searching for the person whom would be blessed with relieving Cale of his burden. "Sehkmet, come and take this little child to her new home." Sehkmet walked out of the shadows, his armor made him look very intimidating, but Ash had no mind to be removed from the Throne room by this monster. She knew what he wanted to do to her, especially after all of the torment she'd put him through the past few days. 

"Stay back!" She warned him softly, her hair actually puffing out a little, giving her the look of being on edge of attack. 

Sehkmet looked uneasily at Cale. _She's never done this._ He thought nervously as he continued to approach her. Just as he came within three feet, she attacked. Her slight weight slammed into him with three times as much strength. It knocked him completely off his feet, she instantly bolted for the main entrance of the Throne room, but Sehkmet was up in an instant, giving chase. "Oh, you're going to pay for that, little bitch! Trust me!" He growled as he drew two of his swords and advanced on her. 

"Kill her." Was his master's reply to her sudden show of strength. For some reason Talpa was suddenly all too aware of her promise to bring down his Dynasty from the inside, and her unseen strength and powers were making that promise a little too close to becoming reality. 

Sehkmet smiled twisted to one of sick delight. "My pleasure, Master Talpa." She lined her body up and watched him with eyes that were suddenly not nineteen. He noticed this and watched her just as closely. She was moving with too much grace, her eyes too fluid in their observations, he wanted to finish this quickly. He quickly drew the other swords strapped to his back, and called upon his surekill. 

Her eyes narrowed a little and than widened, she tensed closer to the ground, her legs suddenly bulged with hidden muscle. Talpa watched the show in amusement, but also curiosity, this little child was acting like an experienced fighter, she had excellent instincts, but just how good were they? When Sehkmet brought it down on her, she simply disappeared, and suddenly appeared to his left, away from the dangerous surekill's touch. She laughed, her eyes lit with humor. She was enjoying this. . .

Talpa watched some more of this rather amusing display with awe. _She's playing. . ._He thought to himself as he observed the warlord being unable to strike her, she was moving fast, and was very agile, as well as limber, some of the moves were near impossible, but her small body made them look easy. He nearly laughed as Sehkmet gave a cry of agitation of her play. 

Ash suddenly made a very unexpected move, she did a somersault right between his legs, coming up away from the wall he was backing her into. "I don't like walls." She muttered lightly, she was slightly winded. 

Talpa was swiftly growing as agitated as Sehkmet, and called the other two warlords to fight as well. "Cale, Dais, help Sehkmet defeat this little upstart." Cale was on her in an instant, Dais appeared right behind her, she yelped and nimbly dodged their blows, this was getting increasingly difficult. She didn't understand how she was keeping out of the reach of those deadly blades, but as all three formed a triangle around her, she felt her heart sink. "Finish her." Talpa commanded. As entertaining it was, she had proved his worse fears. She was strong, but still, not strong enough to bother brainwashing to join his ranks. 

The warlords each called their own surekill out, she went white from realization, she couldn't dodge all three, there was no way. She was going to die, or wish she had. . .she moved swiftly to avoid Sehkmet's, and was entangled with Dais' than struck hard with Cale's, followed by Sehkmet's, as they hit her, she felt something inside her surge up, her back arched in an impossible angle and felt something rip out of her back. The pain was so intense that she screamed for what she was worth. The small glass cup sitting on the rim of the Throne shattered.

Talpa watched in awe as huge wings erupted from her back, they were blacker than the darkest abyss, the claws were impressive and their size was almost terrifying. _So, she's not human. . ._He was thinking as the surekill energy was suddenly brought into the wings, she crouched, her eyes burning with an awesome fire, she faced the warlords with a twisted smile, and brought the wings up in front of her and crossed the huge claws on the bend of her wing, as they touched, energy flared. She flared them out and stood suddenly, fire erupted from the wings, she levitated off the floor and loomed up, her suddenly small body didn't look as small and vulnerable. She looked ready to kill. 

Her body seemed so right in the air, the little bones suddenly made sense to Talpa, she was built for the air. Her little frame also seemed to be convenient, she was no normal mortal. She was much more. She had Pharie blood. Her white hair shone silver in the eerie light her wings gave off. She flared her wings more it the air, and a sudden energy pulse erupted from them, hitting the warlords like a surekill. They dropped to the ground, writhing in pain, hit by their own surekills. 

The fire in her eyes disappeared and she suddenly looked down in shock. "AH!" She gasped in sudden terror. Her wings, folded up and she dropped swiftly to the ground, but before impact, they flared and caught her, dropping her softly to the floor. She looked at the wings and touched one, they were cool, and very soft. She looked at Talpa in sudden fear, she didn't know what was happening. "Wha. . ." She started to say, but Badamon appeared beside Talpa and eyed her with sudden interest. 

"What do you make of this, Badamon?" Talpa asked his nether spirit softly, still eyeing the huge wings, draped loosely around her. 

"They are very impressive, far better than any Phay could ever dream of owning. The fire is something new, I've never encountered it. She's got pieces of her heritage written all over her though, she's built almost like Phay, but she's too spirited, Phay are easily tamed. She is too willful. There's something else about her." Badamon approached her carefully and threw a sudden energy ball at her, Ash instantly locked her eyes on it, it stopped and hovered in front of her. "You see, she has excellent mental powers, but. . ." He pushed the energy ball forward, Ash narrowed her eyes and looked suddenly at Badamon, who flinched and lost control of the energy ball. 

Ash reached out with her hand and the energy ball came to her obediently, she let it hover in front of her before looking at Badamon and than the ball. "I withdraw my statement, I have never seen such potential, whatever she is, she's very powerful. She has powers of Death, which only spirits may have, she's a very odd mix. We must be very careful." He warned Talpa, who nodded his agreement. 

"Little one," Talpa started to say, but Ash interrupted him. 

"I have a name. Use it." Her eyes flashed bright blue, than quieted to a soft dark blue, eyeing the energy ball dancing above her palm. 

Talpa used all his willpower not to blast her, he calmed himself down and continued lightly. "Ash, who are you?" The question was simple enough, she opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. 

Her brow furrowed in some tangled mental conflict, than she looked at Talpa with a clearly hopeless expression. "I'm Ash. An orphan." For some reason, the answer took him quite by surprise, he'd expected her to say that she was just any other American tourist to this land of wonders, but instead, she'd told the honest truth. 

"You don't have any parents?" She shook her head. "No family?" Again, hesitantly, no. "What's your name?" He'd never really thought of her name, he'd known that the other newcomer, Gen, had called her Ash. 

"Ashadawna." She replied with a slight curtsey. The first sign of respect he'd seen from her ever since they'd captured her. 

There was a slight pause, than Talpa continued. "Is that the only name you have? No last name? No family title?" He asked her, watching her new wings as they started to quiver, it wasn't until then that he realized there was blood dripping onto the floor. _They did explode from her back, I suppose it'll only be proper if I allow her to rest. _"Sit, please." He said softly, gesturing to the large pillowed cushion on the floor not far from the Throne. 

She smiled faintly and walked painfully over to the cushion, not willing to pass up such comfort when she was in such pain. "I have no last name, no family, I am what I said I was. An orphan. I was found when I was young, I was about nine or ten, they said." She stopped, looking up at him with pure ice blue eyes. 

As he looked in their depths he realized that her pupils were not normal, it was the first time he'd seen her eyes when they were not narrowed at him in anger or shut in pain. He sat back a little and looked at Badamon, who was still nervously watching the energy ball she continued to play with. "Where were you found, little Ash." He asked her, his voice giving her hope for a decent conversation. 

"They didn't tell me a exact place, but I know I was in the mountains, alone. They couldn't figure out how I'd survived in the wilds of nature." She finished the last with a shrug of indifference. 

Badamon looked at Talpa with a twisted smile. _:Master, I do believe that this little one is possibly older than she pretends to be. She balancing that energy like a pro. The wings, I can tell, were definitely unexpected. But she handles energy and her body the way a professional of centuries of practice would. She tells the truth, than switches to the story she's been sticking too. I believe her when she says she was an orphan, but from there on, I don't know, she just has too much practice at hiding her feelings, if I can get a good hold of her pattern, I can properly read her. But I do believe that she's an immortal, possibly a cross between two different types. If she was an orphan, it could be that the parents either died or she was a rape child and the mother abandoned her.:_ Badamon 'pathed Talpa. 

He nodded slightly, watching the dark red seep through her tattered kimono, her eyes were shifting color, he caught it just as she locked eyes with Badamon. He was about to talk to her when all hell erupted. The energy ball, went in full force towards Badamon, who hurried to escape it, she stood up and flared her wings, calling the ball back, only to send it back a little more powerful than before. 

The warlords, who had just finished recovering and were watching silently at the other end of the Throne room, watched in awe as they watched her and Badamon begin to fight. "She's beautiful, truly the master of deception." Dais muttered softly, and for once, there were two agreeing grunts. 

"Don't ever, _ever_ try to get into my mind again!" She screamed at him, her voice very loud and extremely pissed. 

The Nether Spirit did the only thing he could think of, he summoned up his own powers to fight her with. It was then that she attacked, more vicious than he'd ever expected. She used her wings suddenly to dive and slammed into him, _into a spirit!_ Talpa was very shocked. Nether spirits could not be touched by mortal hands, they were, after all, just spirits. However, she was making contact with him. _Complete_ contact.

Talpa chose that moment to end the fight. "_Enough!_" He roared, the spirit retreated as she hesitated for just a moment, she cursed and swung her attention down on the Ruler of the Dynasty. "Now, little Ash," He was saying in a calm, collected voice, revealing no anger towards her. "It's alright, you can relax. Please, I don't want you to hurt yourself, you've shown him that you are upset with his attack, he understands now." She seemed confused for a moment, but her wings relaxed and she slowly lost her altitude. 

"Master. . ." Cale started to say, but he was unheard, he wanted to point out that the little child was losing too much blood. But none of the warlords were heard as Talpa looked at the young immortal in front of him. 

She was truly the most magnificent creature he'd ever laid eyes upon. Her wings were quivering from both cold and excitement, still damp from their eruption out of her back, the blood dripping down brought his attention back to the present. She remained silent, her breathing calm and unhindered by labor. She looked at him with clear icy eyes. They were calculating him. He could tell. She was judging him for his strengths and estimating his weaknesses. The look he could tell was not as experienced as he had once feared, but the fact that this was instinct, caused him to feel a mild chill through his soul. 

"Young Ash, I believe that you would benefit well from a little rest, and some decent peace." She eyed him questioningly and than nodded, after reassuring herself that this wasn't another ploy to get her guard down. It wouldn't have been the first time. Although he quickly realized that even when she was fully exhausted, her guard never came down. 

"Yes." She answered simply, her stillness beginning to sway, her face whitening, she was on the verge of passing out. She put a hand to her face, as if to steady her sudden tipped equilibrium, and abruptly fell to her side. Cale and Sehkmet rushed forward, barely catching her, she looked as though her weight would be increased dramatically with those wings, but she was still light as a feather. 

Talpa mentally touched her, worried for a moment that she might be in danger, but she was simply in a deep revitalizing sleep, one that ensured safety. "Take her back to your rooms, watch her closely, don't leave her for a moment and alert me at once if her condition changed in the slightest, if she wakes, contact me immediately. I wish to speak with our little guest." He told Sehkmet who looked shocked that he was being given the little hostage. 

"As you wish, Master Talpa." He answered with a bow of his head, since his arms were full. He took her fully from Cale and teleported away. 

"This little child, will be a great asset to us. I believe she will be the tool that turns the tables in our favor." Talpa mused softly to his remaining warlords. 

"Master, that child, I noticed holds a great amount of power, I suggest that we do small exercises with her to see the extent of those powers, before she tries to attack with them again. That blast she sent back at us was more than just our power. I know that much." Dais replied, his eye glistening with an interest that had been long in returning. 

Talpa laughed, distantly, Ash could hear the laughter echoing inside her mind. . .

  
  


From deep within her sleeping body, Ash was wildly looking over the changes that were spinning deep within her. _What in the name of Roses is going on here! I have WINGS! Not only that, I was handling energy, I shouldn't be able to do that!?!! It's not right!! What's going on with me?!!_ She asked herself in building terror. 

The answer was so subtle and so sure in her mind that it startled her. _Because I've come home._ The answer, she tried to reassure herself, was not her own. She knew she was an orphan, but she didn't belong to the Nether Realm. _But don't I? Wasn't it here I felt the longing to come? Didn't I always find myself saying 'I want to go home' when I _was_ where I thought was home? Why shouldn't this be home? No one knows where I come from. Why not?_ She asked herself as she stepped back from her normal perspective and looked again. 

Drifting through her dizziness and disorientation, she felt something soft beneath her and felt warm liquid being coaxed down her throat. She opened her eyes a little and looked around her. A warm hand brushed her cheek. "Easy there." A voice muttered lightly, she tried to focus her eyes on the speaker. "Don't rush yourself." He told her softly as he stroked her face. 

"Where. . ." She started as she began to sit up, but suddenly yelped as her wings moved with her. 

"NO! Don't get up just yet! You aren't ready for that kind of movement yet! Be careful!" He cautioned her sternly. 

She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. "I'm so sorry for blasting you back in the throne room! I really didn't mean to!" She exclaimed suddenly her eyes flying out wide and looking at him in sudden regret. 

Sehkmet closed his eyes and took a steading breath, he was still fairly pissed about that incident. "No, it's alright, I understand from listening to the others that it was simply instinct. You weren't aware of what you were doing." He coughed a little and changed the subject. "So, do your wings still hurt very badly? How's your back doing?" 

She sat up a little, he hurried to help her. She flexed her wings slowly, it was harder than she thought it would be. "They don't seem to hurt that badly if I move them slowly." She remarked sluggishly as she struggled past the dizziness that was still swarming through her. 

Sensing her sudden alertness, Sehkmet felt his Master's questioning if their hostage was awake. He sighed and gave him the affirmative. _:Good, than send her to the throne room immediately!:_ Sehkmet gave a mental acknowledgment and let a sad sigh escape his lips as he looked down at his little hostage. "Well, it seems that you need to have another meeting with Master Talpa, will you come with me please?" He asked her, extending out his arm for her. She looked away and back out towards the window. She wanted nothing more to have some time alone and to think of the recent events. 

She nodded and took his arm, the contact all that was needed for teleportation. When the disorientation wore off, she found herself alone with the Ruler of the Dynasty. She looked at the fire blazing in front of her. "I'm here." She stated plainly, her eyes were still distant and unfocused. The statement was so soft and filled with contempt that it nearly caused Talpa to falter in his belief that she could be broken to their will. But before he could say anything her eyes suddenly blazed forward and looked straight at him. "But that doesn't mean I am here of my own regard. I don't give a fuck whether you win or lose, all I know is that you are keeping me a prisoner against my wishes. I want to go to my friends. I don't want to be here, I'll not let you brain wash me the way you do to all of your other _warriors._" She growled the last softly, Talpa took a calming breath, and reminded himself that as long as he kept calm, so would she. 

"I understand that, I know that you want to return back to the Mortal Realm and back to your friends but, I'm afraid that they don't want you. . ." He was saying, but she interrupted him, her eyes going wide as she shook her head frantically. 

"No! It's not true! They're trying to find a way to rescue me! It's only a matter of time, you'll see!" She shouted at him as she clenched her fists and took a step towards him threateningly, her wings flaring out around her. 

Talpa smiled and gestured for the viewing screen to her right, she looked obediently and folded her arms impatiently as he spoke softly and calmly to her. "Watch, and than tell me that they still care about you." 

She watched the screen, than tears whelmed up as she listened to Kento. _"Look, why should we waste our time trying to rescue her? You saw it yourself, she didn't even try to resist them when they took her, she just let them do it. Every time she looks up at the castle, she always muttered about wanting to go home. She is finally at home now and I think that when we see her again we should give her a nice Ronin Warrior welcome. Don't you agree." _Kento was saying as Rowen nodded his head in agreement. 

_"Yeah, I think he's right. You saw, she just gave herself up. We all know that she's been really down since the first time we rescued her, maybe she wanted to be caught, maybe that was her whole ploy, and we ruined it. I think we should just leave her be. . ."_ Ash turned away from the viewing screen and bit back the tears which threatened to spill down her cheeks. Talpa turned the screen off, and silence prevailed for a long moment.

"You see, they no longer want you among them, now, tell me that you still believe that you are wanted among them." Talpa stated softly, his voice gentle and soothing to her now numb and confused nerves. 

She looked up at him, her eyes were alight with both sorrow and deep hatred. "If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone to think." Her voice was soft, filled with contempt at what she had seen. 

"I know what you must be feeling, I am sorry for the betrayal that your friends have given you. But I do have warriors here that are here of their own accord. You could be one of them. You would not have to worry about people treating you so poorly. If you were to stay here, I could give you the control and the skill that you require to become a master of your own talents." He was saying, but she shook her head. 

"Please, I don't want to think about this right now, I just want to go and take a walk to think for a little while." She stated as she hung her head down and started to shake a little. 

"Very well, I will permit you to go into the gardens and walk for a while, but I will have to send someone to go and watch over you. I would not like that someone would take advantage of you right now." Talpa said as she perked her head up. 

"Could it be Cale? I don't feel as threatened when he's near, Sekhmet is always. . . looking at me." She stated as she hesitated, she didn't know whether he'd become angry or not over the suggestion. He nodded, she smiled weakly than turned away from him. "Oh, don't worry about having him come here, I'll meet him in the gardens." With that, she disappeared, leaving Talpa gaping in her sudden absence. 

"So, she can teleport." Talpa stated after a moment.

"She's showing us more potential every time we see her. Do you think that we should start with the steps to taking her over?" Badamon asked as he waited patiently for his master to command him. 

Talpa thought for a moment, than looked back over at Badamon. "Do you think she can be controlled? She does have a very aggressive instincts, they would be a powerful ally. But her will is something of a problem, it's stronger than Khirha's, plus she has this enormous problem with authority, all of this makes it very difficult to brainwash her or control her. What are your thoughts on this?" Badamon thought for a moment than looked at Talpa with a thought. 

"Well, there is a possibility. She could either be persuaded or controlled by a strong spell. We might contain her with a device similar to Khirha's necklace, and than if that failed, we could try to brain wash her in different ways." Badamon answered him, than perked up a little. "Where is she now?" 

  
  


Ash appeared just on the other side of the East embankment of the large courtyard lake. She looked around and walked the short distance to the bench she always sat at and looked over at the lake. The sweet smell of the flowers around her made her look over at the rose bushes, the wind was blowing enough to raise her hair up from her neck and shoulders but gentle enough to still make it look like a lovers fingers drifting through them. She reached her little hand over to a rose, as if to respond, the little flower arose to greet her hand, stretching out its thin vine to reach her, she cupped it gingerly and bent her nose down to bring the delicate fragrance closer to her. 

She smiled and sighed as she let her mind drift away from her prison and to soar with the birds and the clouds high above her. Distantly, her mind wandered over curious thought that she was not being guarded, but her thoughts of that quickly faded away as she was taken far away from the Dynasty by a sudden, vision. Her body froze in the position she was in, she was helpless to move outside of her mind now. Her body locked into a state of animation as her mind lured her in to watch the vision in complete detail. . .

Cale watched her closely from his side room, which now held all of his paintings and secret things he didn't wish anyone else to see. He knew that Ash had been there, but he also knew that she respected privacy, she only liked that room because of its view. He admired how still she remained for that length of time, always so perfect in the way she sat. He'd always loved the way she acted with nature, her grace was so flawless, so fluid. Her wings only made her appear more angelic, they moved in a soft pattern as the wind caressed them, he wished he could be there beside her, he was sure that the feathers would be whispering songs of ancient melodies and laughter. But instead, he lifted the brush, and dabbed it a little into the newly mixed white and gray, making it a startling silver to paint the beauty of her wings. 

He watched back and forth between the painting and Ash for several minutes before he had to pause to re-mix more paint in order to continue with the details of her wings. After a few more minutes and several more strokes, the wings were complete. He stood back and smiled, she was perfect. He took another finer brush up and began to do the details of her mouth and face, his breathing was slow and steady, his strokes were careful and cautious. He didn't want to make a single mistake on her picture. This was something he wanted to have forever, and he knew that he couldn't have her for his own, it was wrong to cage such creatures. Just as his Master would discover if they tried any harder to keep her. 

  
  


Ash was locked in a world she was all to familiar with, she'd seen this world since she could remember. It was the world of Possibilities. One where anything was possible, where dreams could come true, as well as nightmares. She's learned all about this the hard way, she was one of the unlucky people as to see the future.

She blinked and looked around. She was standing in the middle of a large 'garden'. There were tall buildings everywhere, she recognized this as like New York city, only it had a few differences, than again, the whole city looked similar in some aspects. She looked down at herself and noted what she saw. She was dressed in loose comfortable pants that were tucked carefully into knee high boots that laced up. Her top was covered by two things, the first was a loose tunic that was made of a comforting leather which smell made her smile, the second was a tight cotton back mid-rift, it was tied up the front and made her feel like she was one of those assassin women from the TV series she used to watch. Strapped to her hip was a rapier, she could also feel something up inside of her wrist, she thought perhaps it was a hidden dagger of some sort. From her reflection in the building's window, she had long hair that was a mix of blonde and whitish silver, there was a large lock of auburn with a smaller strip of black running through the middle of it. The black was braided through the red and her pale hair made the two all the more visible. 

She sighed and went to explore the rest of her surroundings. People were running every which way and others in strange uniforms were coming towards her. She suddenly narrowed her eyes and flicked her wrist, instantly, a small object fell from her sleeve. She swiftly pulled the two sides apart and discovered that it was not a dagger, but a fan blade, such were a rarity these days, and in the same stroke, she pulled free the rapier. The metallic clang made her smile broaden. 

The men approached her swiftly, two of them were on her in a flash; she was able to effortlessly evade both of their attacks and to charge them both with her blade and rapier. The third man came silently behind her, she saw him in the reflection, a small knife wielded high, as if to strike her in the back. She grabbed the nearest man and tossed him in front of her and spun in time for the aimed knife to be embedded in her body shield. She threw him into the thrower and swiftly dealt with the first man before turning to the third, who had just untangled himself from his dead comrade. He spoke, but she did not hear the words past the drumming in her ears as she summoned her power. 

She held her hand out as if to give him something, but from her palm, lit a small dark blue, nearly black flame with silver on the inside, dancing gracefully. She brought it up to her lips and blew, as she did, in front of her, the man and the city behind him exploded into flames, as though hit by a bombardment of bombs. She smiled and walked calmly away. 

The vison jumped and she was standing on a cliff facing Staten Island, the Lady Liberty was crumbling into the ground, and New York City was burning and falling to her knees from the blast. From behind her, a man approached, she smiled and folded her hands over her chest. 

"Impressive, I thought for sure you'd need at least a little help with that." The man spoke, she looked back and smirked at him, her eyebrows went up in a mock of astonishment.

"Why, you didn't think I could handle this myself? Shame on you! It was too easy. Next time, give me something more worthy of my time." With that, the man laughed and put his hands on her shoulders. She smiled, and closed her eyes, tilting her head back to smell the fresh scent of smoke thickening in the air around her. . .

Ash opened her eyes wide and she shook her head, this was different than what she normally saw in her visions, this one had taken her completely by surprise. _What. . ._She thought, but the sudden impact of what she'd seen hit her fully. That woman she had seen had been her, she'd been the one to destroy that city and all those people. She'd been the one that they all ran from. She'd been the one which those men had rushed defend their city from. She tittered uneasily for a moment, before falling to her knees and beginning to cry. 

  
  


* * * * * * 

  
  


Talpa watched her with patient eyes, the silence was deep and long. Badamon was the first to speak. "Master Talpa, I do believe that she could be of more use to us than I previously thought. She seems to have a powerful gift. But not a gift that I can readily decipher. I need more time to observe her, before I can understand what I must use to control her." Talpa did not look at the nether sprit, only gazed at the little girl as she cried silently. 

"Very well." He dismissed the other with a wave, and than narrowed his eyes as he watched her hold her head in her hands and weep violently. _:Cale. . .:_ Talpa murmured softly into Cale's mind. 

_:Yes, Master Talpa?:_ Came the immediate response. 

Talpa smiled smoothly as he gave his orders and felt the immediate reaction. _First, give her someone she can trust, let her feel at ease with her surroundings, second, give her a leash in which to roam, but let her have plenty of room to move. Than, finally, as she relaxes enough to have her guard down. . .STRIKE!!!_ He smiled broadly as he thought the last, he could almost picture the victory now. With such a powerful little girl at his whim, those Ronin Whelps could not stand, alone or together! His laughter echoed through the halls, a few servants paused long enough to shudder and hurry along. 

  
  



	3. The Vanishing. . .disappearing warlords

Chapter 3

  
  


Ash was sobbing fiercely when Cale found her. Instantly, without regard for his orders, he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She turned in his grip and rested her wet cheek against his shoulder, he had decided to go in a simple kimono rather than armor or sub-armor, now he was glad of his choice. He felt himself flush at the feel of her tiny body shuttering against his, his hands stroked her gently, trying to coax her to stop crying, but as he touched her, his hands found her to be curvaceous and full of all the gifts a beautiful woman would have. He never was able to tell from under her common clothes, they were big and loose against her skin, not revealing what truly was underneath. Her sobbing started anew, reminding him that he must calm her, if Master Talpa was to be pleased with the result of his mission now. 

"Shush." He cooed to her, stroking her hair softly, holding her cheek against his chest. "It's all right." He whispered gently again and again as he held her and rocked her. Passers by quickly went the other direction, Cale was not one to be messed with, and to see him being gentle was something not seen at all. 

Eventually, her sobbing passed, leaving her with a sniffle and a weak apology as she pushed herself away from him a little, unable to muster the strength to leave his comforting grip. "I'm sorry, forgive me for being so unthoughtful of your kindness." She said formally, her eyes downcast. 

He looked down at her and smiled warmly. "What's wrong? People don't just cry for no reason?" He spoke gently to her, smiling to himself that he finally discovered that she really wasn't as strong as she pretended to be. Finally, after all this time, she was beginning to show weakness at being helpless and unable to leave the Dynasty. 

"I had a vision." Ash said solemnly, her eyes meeting his, the deep vastness of their color made him hold his breath. She had eyes the color of the ocean for that moment, than they turned colder, nearly an icy shade and she looked away. But it was that one moment, that he knew, she was not something easy to overwhelm.

He blinked in surprise. _A vision?_ The statement nearly completely passed over him when their eyes locked together. "A vision?" He asked in unison with his thoughts. 

She nodded, than shook her head, completely backing away from him, and looking around suddenly. "I don't want to talk about it. It was really stupid and besides that, I have to go make someone's life hell." She stated suddenly as she turned away from him and marched back toward the castle, throwing up a quick shield around herself, masking herself from their watchful eyes. 

He blinked in surprise. "Did I miss something?" 

  
  


Ash marched straight past the guards, without even looking at them, she walked right past two others in the main hallway as they tried to stop her. _I know he's been watching me. I can feel his slimy eyes on me all the freaking time!_ She growled to herself as she stopped in front of the Throne Room doors, two more guards stood in her way, weapons crossed and unmoving before her. She frowned. 

  
  


* * * * * *

It was midday when Rowen finally made it to the city which Ryo and the others were suppose to meet him. He looked over at his charge, she was still sleeping off the effects of the sedative which allowed everyone to live in peace as the plane had begun to land. He chuckled a little to himself as he remembered it, his ears still rang a little from her scream. "I hope they appreciate this." He thought out loud as he pulled off of the highway and onto the long road which led to the parking lot. He could see the big dark red Durango which belonged to Ash, and could see Gen standing to the side of it, along with a few of the others. "Where's Ash?" He asked himself as he pulled up next to them. 

"Hey! You made it back! Where did you land at?" Ryo asked as he looked over at Gen as she walked over to the passenger side of the vehicle. 

"We had to go all the way to Akita, than drive all the way here. And that was hard." Rowen explained as he looked back at Gen. "Leave her alone, she's had a. . .rough flight." 

Gen looked back at him with a suspicious flash. "I just don't know how you managed to get her on the plane." Rowen scratched his head and looked away from her doubtful eyes.

"Well, it took a lot of convincing, and than we had to have her sedated." Gen's eyes widened a little, and her brow raised in warning. "She couldn't handle the storm and the landing, so instead of having her kill all of us or make us go deaf, the stewardesses decided it would be best to sedate her. Don't worry, she should be coming out of it soon. They gave her three doses." Rowen said, his thick Brooklyn accent making him sound more guilty than anything. 

She frowned at him and walked away from the car and towards Ryo again. "Hmm." She huffed as she looked back at Ryo. "So, now that we're all here, what now?" She asked him, Rowen noted the hope flaring in her eyes. 

"Well, first, we have to come up with a plan. So far, we have no way of getting into the Dynasty, so there can't be a rescue just yet. . ." Ryo was saying, but Rowen, all frowning and brow furrowed, interrupted. 

"Whoa! Wait. . .Rescue party? Who needs rescuing? We're all here. . .wait, where's Ash?!" Finally, he put together the missing piece. The little pale one was gone. 

Gen started to tear up and turned away, Sage didn't offer any input, but Cye was the first to speak. "She was captured about three days after you left. We haven't seen nor heard of her since then. Nor have the Dynasty attacked in full swing since then. We've been trying to find a way to get into the Dynasty, but we haven't been able to find a way just yet."

Rowen gave Gen a sympathizing smile, which showed her he was really sorry and shook his head. "It's my fault. If I'd only been more on time, than perhaps we'd been able to prevent it." Gen narrowed her eyes to speak, but Ryo spoke up first.

"It's not your fault, you did your best." Ryo reassured him as he patted the other on the back.

But Gen wasn't so convinced. "What took you so long? I have you very specific directions from the Wichita Airport, how could you have messed them up?! You were suppose to be there and back!!! What took you so long?!" She demanded, Rowen blanched back from her wrath. 

"I didn't get to land in Wichita. The plane was forced to land in St. Louis, but they offered us half-priced rental cars, so I didn't have to worry about having to budget my stuff after that. But it was a longer drive than I thought it would be. . ." Gen cut him off by glaring at him, but nodding her acceptance of his excuse. 

"I suppose I didn't bring that into account. I suppose you didn't have much choice in the matter." She sighed, than tried to forage a smile for him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Rowen smiled back reassuringly and shook his head. "I know how much cared for her, I wish I could've been here for the fight, I would have made sure she wasn't captured." Rowen said, but noticed the look of guilt on Gen's face and everyone else's nervousness. "What?" He asked, but no one would answer him, he looked from face to face, but still, received not answer. "Cye?" He asked softly as he walked over to the shy Ronin. 

Cye looked at the others and nodded, giving a tight lipped smile of uneasiness, he led Rowen away from the others to tell him. "Well, none of us were looking when she was confronted. Kento is still sure that she went with them willingly, but I think the rest of us agree that she was captured. The thing is, Gen was away from her, and so was far away, that none of us heard her cry for help before Anubis got a hold of her. She blames herself more than any of us, but we all agree that we need to get her back. She was really offish, but she was something special. I knew that." Cye cocked his head and thought for a moment. 

Rowen took the advantage to ask a question. "So, they took her when no one was looking? Wow, that's just remarkable. Talpa had her pretty much handed to him on a silver platter. I just hope we've all learned a lesson from this." Everyone looked away, Ryo patted Gen's shoulder as she pursed her lips together tightly. For a moment, he thought she would start to cry, but no tears fell from those frosted chocolate eyes. 

Sage looked back at the car and sighed. "Someone needs to go wake sleeping beauty. We shouldn't give the Dynasty another shot at separating us." 

Ryo nodded in agreement. "Yeah, why don't you go and wake her up, Rowen?" 

Rowen held his hands up quickly and shook his head. "No, thank you. I've been around her all since I picked her up. Why don't you do it?" Ryo shook his head and looked over at Kento, who was chewing on a candy bar that had somehow managed to stay hidden until now. 

"Why don't you go, Kento? It'll give you good exercise, plus you're the only one who hasn't done anything useful recently." Sage remarked with a half smirk as he folded his arms and looked at the other Ronin. 

Kento stood up a little straighter and huffed. "I've done plenty of useful things, haven't I, Cye?" But Cye just smiled and stayed silent. "Fine." He groaned as he shoved the rest of the food in his mouth and stalked the distance to the car. "I don't know why _I_ should have to do it. Why can't one of _them_ go and do it? I'm _always_ stuck doing everyone _else's_ dirty work!" He complained as he stepped up to the car and peeked in. "Ah! Now isn't that sweet! What are they so afraid of?" He asked himself softly, carefully opening the passenger side door and leaning in close. 

Rakeal was sound asleep, she made a soft cooing sound in her sleep. Kento smiled and leaned over her, his face barely half an inch away. "Wakie, Wakie!" He said softly, Rakeal opened her eyes slowly, her lids fluttering with tiredness, but as she saw Kento's face just in front of hers, she screamed like a banshee gone mad! He jerked back in response, but not fast enough to avoid the flying fist that swung at him from the left. 

It hit him hard on the right side of his face, slamming into his jaw and cheekbone so hard that he fell completely backwards, than at impact, nearly finishing a backward somersault! Already, his face was swelling and his eye beginning to swell shut. He laid there on his back in pain. "Ouch." Was the only thing he said out loud before Rakeal was out of the car and back on him, she was hitting, kicking, and screaming bloody murder. 

The others were there in an instant, but still not fast enough to stop Rakeal from continuing her assault. With effort, Gen and Ryo peeled her away from the poor beaten Ronin and calmed her down. "It's alright! Relax, it's just us!" Gen told her reassuringly as Rakeal tried to regain her bearings. 

"Wha . . .? Where am I? Did I make it? We didn't crash?!" She seemed happy for a moment, than looked around. "Where's Ash?" Gen looked away, and Rakeal knew instantly, the news would be bad. 

Cye and Rowen bent down to help Kento while Sage laughed lightly in amusement. "Damn!" He muttered, rubbing his sore face in response. "That was one _hell of a_ left hook!" 

Rakeal glared at Kento and hissed at him. Gen frowned. "He he? Sorry." She mumbled as Gen and Ryo took her aside to fill her in about Ash. 

Afterwards, Rakeal sat down on a step and stared in disbelief. "I had a feeling something like this would happen, but I didn't think it really _would_ happen. I mean, what are the chances that she'd be in the perfect place like that, eh?" She shook her head again and sighed. "Do we have a plan to help?" There was a collective shaking of heads. "Damn. So she's there indefinitely, man. That's gotta suck!" She mumbled as she looked around her once more. "So what do we do now? You wanted me here, and now I'm here. What now?" 

"That's a good question. A really good question." Gen muttered softly, locking eyes with Ryo, who raised an eyebrow at her and started to smile. 

  
  


* * * * * *

Inside the Dynasty, within the safehold of Talpa's Throne Room, both Talpa and Badamon searched for Ash. It had been nearly fifteen minutes since Ash had suddenly disappeared to them. Badamon was unable to scry her out and Talpa could not touch her mentally, it was almost as if she had completely disappeared from the Dynasty. "Do you suppose she ran away? Found a way to escape the Dynasty?" Badamon asked, his eyes still, settled on the ground in front of him. 

Talpa sighed, than shook his head. "I suppose she might have, but that doesn't explain why she just disappeared. . ." He paused, tilting his head to listen to a sound that caught his attention. 

"I almost hope she escaped. That girl gives me a bad feeling. She just isn't natural. She shouldn't have that kind of power!" Badamon complained as he started anew his scrying for her. Talpa laughed softly to himself, but did not add to it. "I just can't find her! I wonder where that child is. . ." He was saying, but just as he finished the statement, the doors to the Throne Room exploded into shards of wood and splinters. 

The two guards that were stationed outside to protect from intruders were blasted inside the room, their bodies limp as rag dolls, no sign of movement or resistance as they smashed into the walls, adding to the debris. Talpa suppressed both the urge to laugh and a sigh of relief as Ash stepped into the room, her head lowered and eyes shining an eerie shade of blue. Talpa muttered softly over to Badamon. "You just had to ask, didn't you?" Badamon gave him a desperate look as the silent creature before them approached with steady calm. 

From outside, the Gathering Hall suddenly emptied out, every soldier and person inside came racing at the explosion. Talpa could not help but feel a cold chill race up his spine as her eyes met his. There was no childish look in those depths, only a deep yearning for revenge. Talpa glanced over her at the able people gathered and suddenly roared as her lips quirked up in a half-smile. "Seize her! Don't let her get away!" 

Ash jumped at the loud sound of his booming voice, she jerked and spun at the sound of people rushing at her. Instantly, she began to hiss and growl, Badamon noted the actions and winced as she suddenly spun on her heels and made a straight dive for the lower air duct that was just to the left of where Badamon and Talpa rested. The duct was small, she squeezed through it fast enough though as the nearly sixteen people raced to catch her. 

Badamon looked over at Talpa as he spoke. "She's navigating the air ducts now." 

Talpa put his head down into his hand as Badamon shook his head and looked down after her. "Well, it was only a matter of time. I knew she'd find them eventually. Don't worry, Master Talpa, I can track her down and have her made to suffer for this intrusion." But the other shook his head and spoke to those gathered. 

"You are dismissed. Do not worry, she is to quick to capture so openly." Than looked over at Badamon. "No. I will deal with her in my own time. She is still nothing more than an inconvenience to us. When she becomes to bothersome, I will destroy her myself." Badamon bowed and backed away a little. 

"As you wish, Master Talpa." 

Talpa looked over at him and waved. "Leave me." Badamon nodded and disappeared, teleporting back into the depths of the castle, where he might rest with his fellow Spirits. He waited a moment longer after he left to call forth Cale. __

  
  


__From within his room, calmly adding the final touches to his painting, he felt the soft summons in the back of his mind. _:Cale.:_ He sighed and put his brush down, clearing out the paintbrush and stood, clothes gathering once more at his feet, he clutched the armor orb in his hand. _:Cale.:_ His name was whispered once more in the back of his mind.

"I hear you." He answered harshly, knowing that his master could not hear. He closed his eyes and let the armor of Darkness wrap around his body. Once fully armored, he shed all but his sub-armor. "Hopefully this is not a mission." He muttered as he teleported to the Throne Room, where his master awaited him. 

Talpa greeted him with an empty room and complete silence. "Cale. I have a favor I would ask of you." The others soft voice seemed to echo in the vast room, but there was no harsh or angry tone to his voice. Cale straightened and listened intently. Talpa continued. "Your young charge has decided to run away from me, I wish you go find her and return her to your chambers. I do not wish to see or hear of her for at least a week. She has brought me much grief these past few days, and want to forget about her for a while." 

Cale glanced around. _Grief, indeed!_ He thought as he noted the destroyed main gates to the room. He bowed before his master and nodded. "Yes, Master Talpa." Talpa waved his dismissal and Cale instantly teleported out. _Find her. Does he know how hard that's going to be?!_ He thought to himself as he let his senses stretch out and search for the missing charge. 

All around him, he could feel the walls, the floor, the ceiling. Sense the people in their rooms, below and above, each with a sense of purpose that fitted with the Dynasty. He reached harder, searching everywhere, inside the walls, above and below. . .Finally he stopped, and teleported towards the west wing, in the direction of his rooms. He felt a glimmer of her. She seemed to be caught between the lower and upper level. _She's in the air duct!_ He thought in triumph. He listened for a sound of her, and caught it. "Ash? Please come out from there! Please? Master Talpa doesn't want to see you for a while, so it would be best if you just came with me." He told her as he stood in front of the duct opening. The loose tiles which held the duct made sounds as she turned around, preparing to flee away from him. "Don't you dare run from me! Trust me! I can _really_ make you regret that choice!" He cautioned her lightly, hoping the threat would work. 

"No! Go away!" Came the muffled response as she suddenly began to move. 

Cale swiftly called his armor and drew his sword. With one fluid motion, he thrust it down into the soft flooring which held the air duct. He heard a muffled yelp of pain, and felt the resistence of flesh as he pushed his sword all the way down. When he yanked it back up, the sword had blood on the blade. He quickly sheathed it and pulled away the covering for the air duct. _Master Talpa will have to forgive me just this once, there is no choice._ He thought as he reached in and pulled out the now injured Ash. "See? If you hadn't have tried to run, you wouldn't be hurt now, would you?" She looked at him in anguish and pain. Her shoulder hung limply as blood dripped down her arm. 

She just glared at him, but the anger in her eyes was seeping away, giving way to pain and sorrow. Finally, she looked up at him and whispered. "I'm sorry." Than passed out. Cale smiled as he lifted her effortlessly and carried her back towards his rooms. 

She slept then, a calm sleep which had been denied to her from the beginning. The past few weeks had gone by in a blur of motion, Talpa had kept her deprived of nearly everything in hopes to break her will down. But she had held on, but just barely. When she awoke, she did so slowly, coming out of her sleep as if slowly gliding across a lakes perfect surface as to not mar it's perfection. 

She continued to breathe deeply, in hopes that she might, once more, fall asleep. But while she laid there, listening to the sounds of the room, she let herself drift within the securities of Cale's down blankets. Her mind remembered all of what had happened, and her heart hurt with the force of those memories. It could not be fair to hurt so much, to be treated so poorly by complete strangers who didn't have any other purpose to do so than for sport. _I must remember. I must accept what has happened, and move on._ She thought, remembering what her grandfather once told her. 

_"When you are lost, and beaten down, you must always remember that no matter where you are, what has been done, or what you are going through, you are still in control of your life. You can either continue to fight for it, or you can lie down and die. But to fight, means to accept your short comings and to accept the damage done. This may be more difficult than simply letting them win."_ His words had not made much sense to her at the time, being as how she was only five, but now they did. 

She let a small smile come to her lips. _He always had a knack for knowing the future. Perhaps he knew what I would be going through now. Crazy old fart._ She thought in good humor as she rolled over onto her back, letting her thoughts stop for a moment. _I must accept my past to better my future. If I can accomplish that, than I can handle anything they throw at me!_ She thought as she took a deeper breath and willed herself down into the very core of her being. 

  
  


At first, there was nothing, she felt nothing different, no changes at all. Than, slowly, she felt something stir, she braced for it, opened her arms to it, than finally, she welcomed it as it rushed to her. "I've missed you!" She cooed to it as it wrapped around her affectionately, she looked about her and smiled. For the first time in nearly twenty years, she was finally able to welcome her power back to her. 

A swirl of colors told her of how it felt. _*Good to be back!*_ But suddenly it pulled back, feeling the new feelings of hatred and agony inside of her. _*Why do you feel such pain?*_ It asked in her a different swirl of colors, the whole pattern shifting and changing direction. 

She gave a weak smile. "They've hurt me. I can't fight them, not without you, not without accepting who I am." 

Her power seemed to give a nod and shifted color again, closing about her warmly, she smiled and held it close. _*So, it is finally time? Will you accept both new and old? Welcome all of who and what you are and have now become? Will you accept that you have been used and are now a victim?_* It asked her, spiraling around her, trying to comfort her as it probed her for more information on what it would assist her in. 

She pursed her lips together and nodded, the final decision seemed to be harder than she had expected. All around her, her power built and grew, expanding before her in a huge creature with wings as wicked as any demons, the creature shrank and become smaller, her size. "I am ready to accept my past and my life back. I'm ready to remember." She said, her heart pounding harder in her chest. 

The figure before her materialized into substance instead of shadow. She gasped as she saw her own reflection. She hadn't been out of a human shape since she decided to hide herself away from her past. In doing so, she had forgotten who and what she really was, only a vague glimmer had shone her the truth in her dreams and distant thoughts. But this was more than not human.

Cool white skin covered a small form, huge wings made of the whitest and delicate traces of silvery blue floated to her sides. Long silvery hair hung and floated as if on a breeze around her body, eyes so blue that they seemed to hold the oceans of the universe in their gaze and yet so icy they could freeze your blood with a glance looked out at her. A strong, yet delicate tail swung gracefully behind her and to the side, small spots of the palest blues and violets covered her in small strips and splotches. Her face had an almost animalistic look to it. The nose pulling out into a small muzzle and her small mouth, she knew without seeing, held four sharp long fangs. 

She stood in awe as she remembered who she was, what she was. She shook her head. "The perfect one." She muttered as she let her years of hell from early childhood echo back into her mind. She nearly closed her eyes to the pain of it, but her power stopped her. 

_*It must come back.*_ It told her, her reflection touched her arms softly. _*All of it. Let yourself be swept away in the past, distant and old.*_ She did as she was told, with her power to guide her, she had no fear of being lost. 

Her eyes closed and the past came to her like rampageous rapids off a waterfall. She braced herself and took it all in, letting it drench her soul with the reminder of what was lost and long gone now. From old friends, to things left undone and unsaid. From good times to bad times, she let it all collide over her, filling her empty heart with renewed strength and resistance. 

When it was over, she felt as though she had worked all her life for this one brief moment of completeness, she stood panting in front of her power. It smiled at her and patted her shoulder reassuringly. _*Alright?*_ The colors asked. She nodded and smiled back reassuringly. 

"Sure, that wasn't so bad. In fact, what _they're _doing to me isn't so bad at all!" She told her power, who laughed and moved closer to her.

_*Trust me and beware. Things can get worse for you here. This 'Talpa' has been kind enough to watch over you, when his eye wanders, the hungry will pounce.*_ Her power told her with a note of caution. She swallowed hard and nodded her understanding. 

"Ok." She said shortly, not trusting her voice for more. 

  
  


Cale watched her sleep for nearly six hours, when he finally became tired of waiting and being absolutely silent, he stood beside her and coughed to break the silence. She jerked with a start, giving a sudden yelp of pain as her shoulder jarred, than stayed still a moment longer. 

_Damn! I didn't expect him to be around!_ She thought desperately as she felt her grip on her power subside as it went back down. _Too late now, he already knows that I'm awake._ She thought as she opened her eyes warily. 

"Welcome back." He said softly, no threat or sound of violence in his voice. "How does your shoulder feel?" 

Ash looked over at her arm as he knelt down with fresh bandage and ointment. "Oh, I think it doesn't hurt as much as it would have if. . ." She stopped as he pulled the old bandage off, she bit her lower lip to keep from crying out loudly. 

He smiled. "Well, I know it still hurts you." He muttered lightly, than looked up from his work. "I have to cleanse it, or it will fester, try not to cry out. Ok?" She nodded, hesitantly. He smiled reassuringly, and than pulled free a small bottle that seemed to appear just out of no where, when he unstopped it, it had an overwhelming odor of strong alcohol.

She swallowed hard at the odor, and turned her face away from the sight of him readying to pour it on her. "Not really, but. . ." Just before she finished, he poured a small amount on her wound, she gave a small heart wrenching screech, and slapped him. _*SMACK*_

Cale blinked in surprise. His cheek set afire by the small woman's smack, it felt as though a full sized man had slapped him hard! Not something that he expected of a small thing like Ash. "Sorry." He apologized for her pain as he quickly swabbed away the running fluid and blood that simmered on the surface. "There, the worst part is over now, it wasn't that bad, was it?" 

Ash glared at him, but shook her head. "No." She said reluctantly, he smiled anew at her, trying hard to ignore the painful burning on his cheek, now seeping into the rest of that side of his face, including jaw. "But _warn_ me next time!" She huffed as she looked away again. 

He winced while she wasn't looking and rubbed his cheek lightly. _OUCH! That HURTS!_ He moaned mentally as he sighed and started to quickly apply the ointment to her arm before wrapping it swiftly, before the ointment dried or became contaminated. "There. All finished. Feels better, doesn't it?" 

Ash looked back with wide innocent eyes, but she didn't say it did. She examined her arm cautiously and than looked at him suspiciously. "It tingles. Why?" 

He had to hold back a smile. _So inquisitive, I think that's what I like best about her!_ He thought as he chocked his head to one side and seemed to chew on one side of his lip. "Well, first of all, did you notice that the pain and sting is gone? That tingle is the painkilling herb at work. Second, it is the effect that is caused by being emphasized the herb by the alcohol." 

She opened her mouth to say something, but she did not have time to form it into words. The sudden bellow of Talpa's summons called Cale and the others to him. Ash winced along with him, she knew that this summons was one to choose a warlord to fight and the others would be punished for whatever reason. "This is the reason for me not trusting and joining with Talpa." She groaned as a sudden piercing pain shot through her skull. It was a second, final warning call to those summoned. 

Cale looked at Ash with sympathy. "Better come too, if you can hear that. You're being summoned." 

She blinked in surprise. "_Me?_ Whatever for? It's not like I can help you fight my _friends_!!!" Cale sighed and shook his head. 

"Regardless, you need to come." He said as he disappeared, she stared at where he had been, and blinked. 

"No." She muttered darkly as she crossed her arms in defiance; than a sudden wave of agony swept over her, she tilted her head back and screamed at Talpa, knowing that he would hear her this time. "Go back to hell you maniacal lunatic!" She knew it was a mistake the second it came out, but there was no taking it back. . .not that she would want to, in any case. 

  
  


The Throne Room was dimly lit, the way the Dark Dynasty Master wanted it. Four shadowed figures stood in silence, reach nearly holding his breath to find the reason for this sudden, angry summons. Normally, one would be sent to mission, the others would be somehow punished for the failure of the last mission. Talpa had not yet showed himself, this brought a troubled thought to each of them, especially Cale. He knew that Ash, too, was summoned, and also that she refused to come to the summons. The absence of both Master and Ash brought a bolt of cold terror to his thoughts. She was literally fighting with the Dynasty Master. 

No sooner than that thought came, than both suddenly appeared the lit area of the Throne. Talpa looked extremely angry, and Ash. . .she looked like she was in critical condition. Beaten and in much pain, she glared up at the Dark Master with such hatred that he felt himself shiver in response. Talpa began to speak, but Cale didn't take his eyes off of her, knowing that if she was not watched, she would disappear. "Defiance is forbidden! Punishable by the. . .the. . .worst thing imaginable! I will NOT tolerate such BEHAVIOR!" Although none of the warlords had defied their lord, they knew to whom he was speaking to. Ash. 

Her glare continued to go unaffected by the harsh words of the Dynasty Master. In her mind, she scowled at Talpa, but physically, she growled, a low pitched, eerie sound which seemed to come from her throat and than dig down into her chest. 

The warlords became very evident of the tension between their Master and the small Ash. But Talpa suddenly pointed towards the back of the room and yelled at her as if she were nothing more than a disobedient pet. "Shut up and stay quiet!" Her sounds increased, her growl now was fully intimidating. But before any of them could look back from their Master to her, she was gone, disappeared. "Good. Maybe she ran away." Talpa muttered softly, his aggravation very evident in his voice. 

"You called us, Master?" Anubis pointed out as a long moment of silence ensued after her disappearance. 

Talpa spun his wrath down on Anubis. "I KNOW I CALLED YOU ALL HERE!" He raged as he a tightly wrapped energy coil enveloped the warlord of Cruelty. He knelt on the ground, trying to stand against the weight and pain of the coils, gritting his teeth against the pain. 

The other warlords took an involuntary step back, as if trying to make themselves invisible, lest their angry Master turn his wrath upon them also. But he was much calmer when he spoke next. "The Ronins had the help of another American. She, too, bares the foreknowledge of us and this different aura of the other two, both Ash and her friend back there. With the assistance of the two of them, the Ronins will become a threat, if we allow them to grow any stronger, I would like to see them annulated. . ." He was saying, but was interrupted by a soft voice in the background, which sounded like Sehkmet. 

"I'm sure you would, but that's not gonna happen, is it?" Sehkmet looked around in surprise, and when he looked back at his master, flinched. 

"It wasn't me! I swear it!" The Real Sekhmet plead as he looked from the other warlords faces back to his master. 

"Sure it wasn't, we all know your voice, Sekhmet!" Dais muttered, a half smile of delight crossing his lips. 

Anubis, who was finally able to recover from his master's wrath glared at him. "Traitorous ways are punished, Sekhmet." The others nodded in agreement. 

"But I didn't say it!" He protested as Dais suddenly said the unthinkable. 

"Yeah, well, I'd enjoy punishing your ass, oh yeah! And a fine ass it is!" Dais said with a seductive tone, a short whistle at the end. Everyone looked at Dais in surprise. Especially Sehkmet, whose mouth dropped to the floor. 

Talpa stared at his Warlords like they'd all gone mad as Anubis gave an answer to that one. "Damn straight I wouldn't mind taking a bite out of that myself! Wow!" Anubis clamped his hands over his mouth and shook his head. 

"I swear on my _soul _that it wasn't me!!!" Talpa looked away from them all and shook his head, looking pleadingly at Badamon. 

From the darkness just behind Sehkmet, eyes glistened unnoticed by all. . .except Cale. He tried desperately to watch them without being conspicuous. While he watched in silence, the warlords began to say strange things, things that were _way_ out of the normal for them. 

Finally, as Talpa looked over at Badamon, and the others quieted down, he noticed the eyes disappear back into the darkness, he relaxed and looked away. 

  
  


Sehkmet, Dais and Anubis were still trying to figure out what was going on, when Sehkmet suddenly disappeared into the darkness behind, no more than a muffled gasp. 

Dais turned swiftly at the sudden absence of his standing neighbor and shrieked. "I _knew _it! The Boogie Man _does _exist!!!" His voice was very high pitched and thorough lavished with sarcasm.

Anubis could barely suppress a laugh, hiding it with his hand. They all turned to the darkness, Talpa fuming more now than ever. Again, from the other side of Anubis, gave a muffled gasp, and then that made two. Dais had vanished.


End file.
